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The Lost OP Wiki: Manual ESC Calibration
= ESC Setup Tutorial = Tutorial showing how to program, calibrate & setting a neutral startup point for your motors Test Outputs The "test output" check box at the bottom left will allow you to take control of the outputs and so test the reaction of motors or servos on the selected values. The sliders allow you to modify the current output values between the minimum and maximum boundaries which you have specified. In order to control all outputs at the same time with one slider, click the "Link" button on the outputs that you want to test together. After finding the optimum minimum and maximum values, leave the sliders at the values you want for the neutral position. * For servos: This will let you more easily set the minimum and maximum output ranges to control the throw as well as find a sensible neutral position. * For motors: They will not spin unless the "Test Outputs" is checked. Please make sure that all sliders are at the minimum before testing your outputs. It's recommended to set the min value to 1000 for standard PWM ESCs. Set the maximum to something appropriate for your ESC (many ESCs peak at ~1800µs, hence it's not recommended to alter a maximum value above 1900µs). Motors spin at neutral output It's possible to start the motors as soon as the board is armed. In order to do so, you have to check the "Motors spin at neutral output" option. Unless you have a good reason to have your motors start as soon as they are armed, leave this box unchecked. Tip for calibrating ESCs Why do I need to calibrate ESCs? There is a significant difference between various types of calibrations and programming. Please do not confuse the following three things: * Calibrating the output levels by setting a neutral startup point for your motors in the Vehicle Setup Wizard * Programming ESCs * Calibrating ESCs. Programming is preset in flashed ESCs (SimonK firmware and the like) and normally cannot be changed. Certain options can be set in programmable factory standard ESCs. Programming is not calibrating when it comes to ESCs. Because there is no well-defined standard of PPM (PWM) RC signal, all manufacturers use their own ranges for low and high throttle. When you use one brand's radio and another brand's ESC, you use only part of the possible input resolution, and thus do not have the full throttle range. In order to teach the ESC your radio output, you perform an ESC calibration. During the calibration, the ESC records maximum and minimum input values and uses them for maximum and minimum throttle accordingly, so you have the best possible setup for your system. Additionally, some cheap ESC have low quality time base that might vary up to +-10% straight from factory, and also are subject to variations in temperature - so it might be necessary to re-calibrate them from time to time, and/or warm them up before flight. Icon Caution: You will be able to start your motors (even when the blue status light is showing the board is disarmed and your transmitter is set to no Throttle). YOU MUST remove all propellers and make sure the motors are clear. This can't be stressed enough. It's very possible to have things go wrong here, and cause serious injury to yourself or others if you fail to remove propellers. You can use the config output panel to calibrate all your ESCs at the same time. Here's how: On programmable ESCs (such as the Turnigy Plush), do the following: # Remove all the props first and disconnect your battery from the ESCs, then power your board through the USB. # Go to the output config panel in the configuration gadget, check the "test outputs" function, and confirm that you want to continue. # Move the slider on all ESC output channels to the max value you like (for example 1900 microseconds). (You can link the outputs so you can calibrate all ESCs at the same time by 'checking' the Link box.) # Now apply power from your battery without disconnecting the USB. Your ESCs will boot and beep accordingly, indicating that they have received a high throttle set point. # Move all the sliders back to 1000 microseconds. The ESCs will beep several times to confirm the low position and all will be calibrated properly. A nice tip by Z-axis To move the slider instantly, just hit the "home" key on the keyboard. It is instantaneous and much faster than trying to slide it. So after you have moved the slider to your maximum value and applied power you can hit the "home" key on the keyboard once the ESCs are booted and beeped.Very easy, just make sure to remove your props so that you don't get any nasty surprises if anything does not go according to plan. Flashed ESC users: For some flashed ESCs, it has been noted that sometimes you must move the slider very quickly from Max to Min for the calibration to take effect (see Z-axis tip above). If you do not hear the acknowledge beep(s), try it again and be quicker with moving the sliders. If your test flight results in unstable climbing and the craft is hard to tune, it could be that one or more of your ESCs may not have completed the calibration properly. In that case, please consider calibrating the ESCs one at a time, and skipping the linked method. * If you are unable to move the sliders, make sure that both your minimum and maximum end points are not set at 1000 as in the screenshot below. * Although it is counter-intuitive, having your radio transmitter powered up while calibrating your ESCs through the GCS is not necessary. Your propellors have been removed (right?!?!) and the radio won't be needed. The GCS is doing all the communicating with the board and ESCs, and the radio end points should have already been set by the wizard when this process takes place. Follow the steps above, and don't worry about the radio. Video of Dacat demonstrating how to calibrate the ESCs. (Screen views could look a little different due to the older GCS being used in this video)